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Thu 22 May, 2003 05:25 pm
Europe - AP
Archaeologists Unearth Stonehenge Bodies
Wed May 21, 3:45 PM ET
By SUE LEEMAN, Associated Press Writer
LONDON - Archaeologists who last year unearthed the remains of a Bronze Age archer at Stonehenge said Wednesday they have found six more bodies near the mysterious ring of ancient monoliths.
The remains of four adults and two children were found about half a mile from that of the archer, dubbed "The King of Stonehenge" by Britain's tabloid press. Archaeologists said he came from Switzerland and may have been involved in building the monument.
Radiocarbon tests will be done to find out more precise dates for the burials but the group is believed to have lived around 2300 B.C., during the building of Stonehenge at Amesbury, 75 miles southwest of London, said Wessex Archaeology, which excavated the site.
The latest bones discovered are about the same age of those of the archer, said Wessex Archaeology.
"This new find is really unusual. It is exceptionally rare to find the remains of so many people in one grave like this in southern England," said Andrew Fitzpatrick of Wessex Archaeology.
"The grave is fascinating because we are seeing the moment when Britain was moving from the Stone Age into the Bronze Age, around 2300 B.C."
Wessex Archaeology said it is possible the bones are those of people from different generations, as the grave seems to have been reopened to allow further burials.
The grave contained four pots belonging to the Beaker Culture that flourished in the Swiss Alps during the Bronze Age, some flint tools, one flint arrowhead and a bone toggle for fastening clothing, Wessex Archaeology said.
The large number of bodies placed in this grave is something more commonly found in the Stone Age, but the Beaker style pottery is characteristic of Bronze Age burials.
The archer was identified by the flint arrowheads found by his body. Archaeologists said some 100 artifacts found in his exceptionally rich grave, discovered about three miles from Stonehenge, indicate he was a man of stature and likely involved in constructing the monument.
Although the indigenous British originally came from mainland Europe, they settled thousands of years before the arrival of the archer, who clearly belonged to a different culture, marked by a new style of pottery, the use of barbed flat arrow heads, copper knives and small gold ornaments.
His grave contained teeth and bones as well as two gold hair tresses, three copper knives, flint arrowheads, wrist guards and pottery. The copper knives came from Spain and France. The gold dated to as early as 2470 B.C., the earliest dated gold objects found in Britain.
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The Bronce Age was earlier in continental Europe than it arrived in Britain.
To find out more about Britain's prehistoric, have a look at the BB website:
ANCIENT/PREHISTORIC BRITAIN
Fantastic! The orginial guy died with his straw shoes on his feet. Looks like he also had most, if not all of his teeth.
I read about the find at Stonehenge in our local newspaper. Very interesting, indeed! Historians, anthropologists, and other scientists still know very little of who built Stonehenge. Maybe, these finds will finally give us a clue. c.i.
If memory serves me right I seem to remeber many years ago (and I've got a lot of them) reading an article referring to a number of different cultures using the site as a gathering/worship site.
bob, Those are only 'educated' guesses of those that have studied Stonehenge. We're waiting for those 'guesses' to become facts. c.i.
c.i.
"educated guesses" are mostly thought to be scientific by those, who did them, namely the historians :wink:
Walter, Even 'scientists' make wrong assumptions.
c.i.
Thought I'd throw some links in for those who more info:
Links to Related Websites
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For your convenience, I have provided links to the various sections on this page. Either choose the one you're looking for, or scroll down at your leisure!
General Pages
History of the Monument
Virtual Reality Tours
Saving Stonehenge
Other (Real World) Sites Near Stonehenge
Ordering Merchandise
Other Uses of "Stonehenge"
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General Pages
Megalithic Pages One of the more developed sites on the Stone Circle Webring, this is an excellent, well-designed site with plenty of information.
Andy Burnham's page, which features and immense number of links and photographs. Highly recommended - but the link databases ARE large! Also, he's one of the managers of the Stone Circle Web Ring.
Archaeo Links, another large, comprehensive database of archaeological, megalithic, and other related links. Enjoy!
The Active Mind: Stonehenge. Includes links to other Stonehenge pages, photos, and a very general timeline.
Stonehenge. Gateway to the Realms. Also called "Shadowfax's Stonehenge Page." It's pretty good. There's an excellent table of Stonehenge fact and fiction. Lots of photos and other Stonehenge links.
Stonehenge. One section of a page about "forgotten wonders of the world," this one has a photo and about seven useful links underneath.
Earth Pages. This page tells about Stonehenge's history of four stages, various restorations of Stonehenge, the monument and the Druids, and archaeoastronomy at Stonehenge. It also has links to other Stonehenge pages.
Mysterious Pages - Stonehenge
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History of the Monument
General History
The Magical History Tour.
Of A More Scholastic Nature:
Dating Stonehenge
Radiocarbon Dating at Stonehenge
Stonehenge I and the Eclipse Interpretation
How to find where the Sun or Moon will rise.
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Virtual Reality Tours, Etc.
Virtual Reality Tour. This site also has links to other sites in the area.
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Saving Stonehenge
Stonehenge Theme Park Protest. This site protests a plan to create a Stonehenge Theme Park, complete with Monorail to the Stones. Includes links about this plan, a link to protest the plan, and a list of places to stay in the area of the Henge.
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Other (Real World) Sites Near Stonehenge
An original and informative site specializing on British geneaology near Wiltshire, with many other links useful to one interested in the Stonehenge area.
The Wicker Screen, a "guided tour" site about ancient Wessex.
The Megalith Map, a clickable map for all of the megalithic stone circles in the British isles, with links to pictures and websites about the monuments. (Their page concerning Stonehenge is here.)
SalisburyInformation about monuments near Salisbury (which is near Stonehenge) and Wiltshire.
English Heritage. The orginization which manages Stonehenge and many, many more important historical sites in England.
Archaeology and Avebury, a much larget stone circle not far from Stonehenge.
World Heritage Sites in the United Kingdom
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Ordering Merchandise
Order Prints by Cliff Wasserman; explore images of other fascinating sites.
Try Amazon.com, for an extensive list of both fiction and non-fiction. (But beware - you might find that your shopping cart fills up quickly!)
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Other Uses of "Stonehenge"
Build Your Own Stonehenge! An interactive and educational activity for the whole family.
Stonehenge Studios, designers of hand-troweled, integral-colorlime wall plaster.
An Internet Communications provider, named Stonehenge.
"Stonehenge" on South Bass Island in Lake Erie, a family-run project to preserve the old estate of Stonehenge.
Books at Stonehenge, a bookstore in Raleigh, NC.
bobsmyth, Thanks for the link.
c.i.
hi Cicerone. Happy to do it. I can't tell you how much I enjoy since I knew you on abuzz.
Cicerone the answers to that question are lost in the annals of time. On that site I was known as Robert Smith.
Aha! Now, I know who you are.
c.i.
I am always surprised when historians and archaeologists are surprised at finding "foreign" objects or human remains at a dig in any particular area. In historical times, entire "nations," as well as tribes, septs, clans and small family groups have picked up an migrated, on foot, on reed boat, in skin boats, on rafts, with and without beasts of burden, with dogs as beasts of burden (for however dogs may have felt about it)--and trade has been conducted over vast distances at that same walking pace. To suggest that somehow people wouldn't think of doing so, just because everyone was illiterate and there were not yet any maps that we would recognize is simply foolish. Homo Sapiens Sapien (sure, bust my spelling) has been around for tens of thousands of years. That people who appear to be "Swiss" because of a preponderance of "Swiss" artifacts, as well as artifacts from "France" and "Spain"--were found, shouldn't be treated as such a great surprise. In a way, this is insulting to the memory of our distant ancestors--no reason to assume they weren't sophisticated enough, intelligent enough and diligent enough to have migrated, and to have traded over long distances.
great stuff! Thanks for all the links!
I thought the man was found to be "Swiss" because of his teeth enamel. Apparently the makeup of the enamel shows where someone was born & raised. (God, that sounds far-fetched... did anybody else read that? Perhaps I should go back and check, I have been on cold medications.)
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